Improvement in devices for working the rudders of vessels



J. MORGAN. Device for Working the Rudders of Vessels.

No. 206,401. atented July 30.1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MORGAN, OF \VIIEELING, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO S. BRADY MORGAN, OF OHIO COUNTY, VEST VIRGINIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR WORKING THE RUDDERS 0F VESSELS.

gwificnfion forming p or LOH'OI'S Patent No. 206,401, dated July 30, 1878; application mm January 22, 1878.

To all about it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN MORGAN, of lVheehn g, Vest Virginia, have invented a new and useful Device for Working Rudders of Vessels by Steam or Compressed Air, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a vertical view, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a trans verse section on the line a; m, Fig. 2.

The object of my invention is to furnish a device by which the rudders of vessels can be worked by steam or compressed air, and thus relieve the pilot of the severe manual labor.

My invention consists in operating the rudder of a vessel by a cylinder and piston, and the steam or compressed air admitted to said cylinder is regulated by the pilot-wheel by means of a series of valves, which will hereinafter be more fully described.

In the drawings, A represents the cylinder, in which is the piston. c is a puppet-valve, by which steam is admitted into the cylinder A. J and K are the stems of saidvalves,which are attached to levers O and I). F and H are arms, which raise the levers O and I), and raise the puppet-valves and admit steam to the cylinder. The arms F and II are operated by a rock-shaft, 0, which is operated by the pendulum-like device 0, under direct control of the pilot-wheel or tiller (2.

Attached to the side of the cylinder A is a series of chambers, e, communicating into the cylinder, and also communicating with a lower chamber by means of the ball-valvesf. \Vithiu the lower chamber is another piston and rod, 9 and h, the ofllce of which piston is to raise the ballsf in succession, and thus open a valve into the upper chamber. An exitpipe, 7;, allows the steam from the lower chamber to escape.

A system of cords attached to the tiller cl passes over pulleys and operates the pendulum-like device 0, and thus the puppet-valves c, and likewise the rod h and piston or projection 9, and thus the ball-valves f.

\Vith this device the pilot may use the wheel the same as at present, if desired but instead of working the rudder direct the pilot-wheel, on being turned, pulls lever (1 either to stop to or 20, which limits the movement of the lever 0', thus admitting steam through the puppet-valves a into the cylinder either by the stems J or K. After lever d has reached the stops to or w the tiller-rope then commences to pull the red It through the lower exhaustchamber, raising whichever one of the ballvalvesf that may be necessary.

To illustrate my invention, let me say if steam should be let into the cylinder at the left-hand end, by drawing the lever d to the left the piston-head carrying the piston-rod to which the rudder-chains are attached would move until it had just passed the opening in the chamber, when the ball-valve f would be raised. The steam or compressed air would then escape from the chamber through the valve into the chamber below and relieve the pressure in the cylinder, and the piston would stop and hold the rudder. Should the rudder not be far enough, a farther move ment of the pilot-wheel would draw the rod it along until it closed the ball-valve then open and open the next one. The pressure being thus restored upon the piston, it would move until it was again relieved by the next open ball-valve, carrying the rudder along just that distance. The point of relief being thus transferred one hole farther, the piston-head, and by it the rudder, follows. To change the position of the rudder, the pilot-wheel should be turned in an opposite direction, and the same effect will be produced. \Vhen power is released from the pilot-wheel the lever d will assume its normal position, and shut off the steam and relieve the piston fromjpressure and save waste.

Exhaust-valves may be placed at the ends of the cylinder, to relieve any back-pressure, if necessary.

The projection 9 upon the rod It never allows more than one'valve to be open at a time.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. A steam-cylinder and piston operating the rudder of a vessel, in combination with a series of chambers containing valves to relieve. the pressure in the cylinder, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the cylinder A, chain- 4. The combination of the levers, stops at bers 0, provided with ball-valves f, and the w, rod h, and a projection, g, with a series of lower exhaust-chamber provided with means ropes and pulleys and the lever (1, substanfor operating said valves, substantially as detially as described. scribed.

3. The combination of the reciprocating pro- JNO. MORGAN.

j eetion g under the control of the pilot, by means of a system of ropes and pulleys, substantially Vitnesses:

as described, with a series of exhaust-cham- I'IARRY YOUNG, bers, 0, provided with ball -valvesf, snbstan- F. M. INGRAM.

tially as set forth. 

